Cisco C8650-G2 Router

The Cisco 8600 Series Secure Routers are designed to serve as a high-performance foundation for modern enterprise networks. These routers are specifically engineered to handle the demands of large-scale, data-intensive operations and AI-driven workloads, providing the necessary capacity for high-density connectivity and robust VPN aggregation. By integrating advanced hardware capabilities with a focus on scalability, the series enables organizations to expand their infrastructure confidently while maintaining the agility required to navigate today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

At the core of this series is the third-generation Cisco QuantumFlow Processor, an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) that ensures high throughput and consistent performance. Security is not an add-on but is embedded directly into the hardware, offering seamless protection against sophisticated threats. This architecture is purpose-built for data center and colocation environments, where speed, security, and future-ready scalability are critical for supporting exponential growth and complex network requirements.

Product overview

The primary model within this lineup is the Cisco 8650-G2 Secure Router, which is optimized for high-scale deployments. It features a versatile port configuration, including 20 ports of 1/10GE (SFP+) and 6 ports of 40/100GE (QSFP28), ensuring it can meet the connectivity needs of modern data centers and internet peering points. The device is built for reliability, featuring N+2 power supply redundancy and comprehensive out-of-band management capabilities to ensure continuous uptime.

Beyond its physical connectivity, the 8650-G2 is a powerhouse in terms of processing scale. It supports up to 540 Gbps of forwarding throughput and 225 Gbps for IPsec, making it highly effective for secure interconnects between clouds and data centers. With support for 12,000 SD-WAN IPsec tunnels and 16 million IPv4/IPv6 routes, the platform is designed to manage massive, complex network environments with ease. The system runs on Cisco IOS XE software, ensuring compatibility with the broader Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN ecosystem.

Features and benefits

• Hardware-Accelerated Performance: Utilizes four dedicated QuantumFlow Processor ASICs to deliver high-speed cryptography and deep packet inspection without compromising throughput.
• Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Readiness: Equipped with advanced, quantum-resistant encryption capabilities to ensure long-term security against future cryptographic threats.
• Massive Scalability: Supports up to 32 million NAT sessions and 8,000 Virtual Route Forwarding (VRF) instances, catering to the most demanding enterprise requirements.
• Sustainability-Focused Design: Features 80 PLUS Platinum Certified power supplies, a bezel-free design to reduce plastic waste, and a simplified System-on-Chip architecture to improve energy efficiency and repairability.
• Advanced Energy Management: Includes an integrated dashboard within the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager for real-time monitoring of energy usage, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Robust Physical Design: Built for data center environments with N+2 power redundancy and compliance with rigorous NEBS criteria for reliability.
• Circular Economy Integration: Supports Cisco’s Takeback and Reuse programs, along with packaging made from at least 25% post-consumer recycled content.